Running board structure



Feb. 20, 1934. B. BRoNsoN RUNNING lBOARD STRUCTURE Orgnval Filgd June 9, 1930 o o o o o NNN o o o: o o o o o \o o o o O o o klrl NN Patented Feb. 20, 1,934

UNlED STATES PA'lfE'LlW;I OFFICE RUNNING BOARD STRUCTURE Budd Bronson, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The kOhio Rubber Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 4 Claims.

This invention relates to rubber covered vehicle running boards of the type. disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 428,902, led February 17, 1930, in which the rubber covering vulcanized to the metallic base is carried down over its flanges so as to extend between the latter and portions of the vehicle structure with which the flanges cooperate, and as one of its objects aims to provide an improved construction for composite vehicle running boards of this type.

The method disclosed, but not claimed herein, is claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 594,590, filed February 23, 1932.

l5 Another object oi' this invention is to provide a novel method of making composite articles of the type in which plastic covering material is molded and secured to the flange and body portions of a metallic base.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novelV steps of procedure, and in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawing which illustrates practical applications of the principles of my invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a composite running board constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationalvview thereof showing the running board in assembled position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken in the direction indicated by theline 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken through the connection which joins the forward end of the running board to the front fender;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation similar to that ofl Fig. 5 but showing another running board constructed according to my invention; and

Fig. '1 is a sectional elevation taken through the connection which joins the inner edge of the running board shown in Fig. 6 with the splash pan of the vehicle.

In the drawing which illustrates my invention, I have shown a rubber covered vehicle running board 10 which may be supported upon the usual brackets secured to the vehicle frame, and which is attached at opposite ends thereof to the front and rear fenders 1l and 12, and along its inner side edge is attached to the part 13 of the vehicle structure which is commonly known as the kick plate or splash pan.

The running board itself comprises a metallic base 14, and a tread in the form of sheet rubber covering 15, secured thereto. The metallico base is preferably constructed from hot-passed steel by suitable operations whereby the base is formed with a substantially flat, horizontally extending body portion 16. At the forward and rear ends of the base some of the metal of the es body portion is bent downwardly to form the depending flanges 177 and 18 for connection, respectively, with the front and rear fenders. Along its outer edge the metal of the base is flanged upwardly above the surface of the body portion 16 and isfolded over upon itself to form the longitudinally extending reenforcng flange 19. The portion which is thus folded upon itself in forming the flange 19 extends downwardly below the body portion 16 as the 75 longitudinally extending depending flange 20. The lower portion of this depending flange 20 is preferably made to extend outwardly beyond the flange portion 19, and when the running board is assembled in place, these upper and lower flange portions will align with correspondingly formed flange portions provided along the outer edges of the fenders 11 and 12. Along the inner edge ofthe metal base or, in other words, along the edge thereof-which is nearest the center line of the vehicle, the metal of the body portion 16 is bent downwardly to provide the longitudinally extending reenforcing ila-nge 2l. These flanges provided at the ends and side edges of the metal base materially strengthen 9 and reenforce the running board-and, in addition, the flanges at the ends and alongV the inner side provide a meansr for connecting the running board with the other parts of the vehicle. In forming the side flanges 20 and 21, the metal of their lower edges is preferably doubled upon itself, thereby increasing the strength of thesel flanges and also providing them with smooth and rounded lower edges.

In constructing the metal base, I preferably provide the body portion thereof with a rounded marginal bead 22 which projects somewhat above the surface of the body portion 1S. This rounded bead extends across the ends of the metal oase adjacent the flanges 17 and 18, and also extends along the side of the base adjacent the flange r21. In this location the bead reenforces and strengthens the metal base and also assists in distributing the rubber during thevulcanizing 110 operation, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The rubber covering which is applied to the metal base is vulcanized in contact with the metal and is firmly united thereto by some of the rubber being squeezed into the pores and interstices of the hot-passed metal. If desired, additional securing means may be provided in the form of rubber rivets 23 which are formed integral with the covering during the vulcanizing opera-tion by squeezing some of the rubber through the spaced perforations 24 of the metal base. During the vulcanizing operation, the exposed upper surface of the rubber covering` may, if desired, be provided with a suitable design or configuration, such as the ribbed pattern illustrated in the drawing.

At the ends of the metal base and along the inner edge thereof, the rubber covering is carried over the rounded bead 22 and is vulcanized to the depending flanges extending along these edges. The covering which extends down upon the end flanges 17 and 18 terminates substantially flush with the lower edges of these anges, while the covering which is carried down upon the side ange 21 extends around the lower edge of this flange and extends upwardly upon its opposite surface and lls the longitudinally extending depression formed in the under side of the bead 22.

When the running board is assembled is place, the rubber covered ange 21 engages the hooklike flange 25 extending along the lower edge of the splash pan 13. This ange, formed at the lower edge of the splash pan, may be of any suitable shape, but for the purpose of illustration is here shown as being formed by bending or curving the lower edge of this member` around into an upwardly extending position. After the rubber covered flange 21 is inserted into the hook-like flange 25 of the splash pan, the free edge of the latter flange may be bent or deilected laterally so that it will have a clamped elect upon the rubber covered ange 21 and thus produce a tight connection at this point. At the ends of the ruiming board, the rubber covered flanges 17 and 18 may be secured to the fenders 11 and 12, respectively, by suitable bolts 26 which extend through the flanges of the running board and through the flanges of the fenders and clamp the rubber coverings therebetween. Be extending the rubber covering down over the flange portions of the metal base which cooperate with iiange portions of the vehicle structure, the rubber forms a durable packing between these ange portions which eliminates squeaks and rattles. The packing thus formed is also impervious to moisture and by preventing an accumulation of moisture at these points, corrosion is greatly retarded.

Heretofore, in constructing composite vehicle running boards of this type, and in the construction of other articles, in which rubber covering is vulcanized to the body portion of a metallic base, and to flange portions angularly disposed with respect to the body portion of the base, it has been necessary to employ vulcanizing presses having cooperating mold members which are relatively movable in at least two directions. These vulcanizing presses, having mold members of the type mentioned, represent more complicated, and thus more costly, vulcanizing apparatus than would be required if the rubber covering could be vulcanized between mold members which are relatively movable in one direction only. To simplify the construction of such corriposite articles in which plastic covering is secured to angularly disposed flange portions as well as to body portions or" a metallic base, I have devised a method whereby the covering maybe vulcanized and secured to these portions in presses having mold members which are relatively movable in one direction only. In carrying out my method, the metallic base is constructed with the desired flange portions but these flange portions are not bent to their u1- timate position until after the rubber covering has been secured in place. When my method is used for constructing running boards of the type illustrated in the drawing and already described in detail, the depending flanges which are to be covered with rubber are bent downwardly from the body portion of the metal base and are left at an inclination of approximately 30 from a perpendicular to the plane of the body portion, and after the rubber covering has been molded and vulcanized to these inclined flanges, they are subjected to further bending whereby they are deflected to their desired ultimate position of approximately 90 from the plane of the body portion of the running board. During the bending of the flange portions to their ultimate positions, the soft rubber covering yields readily and is not damaged or torn loose.

When the metal base is placed on the lower mold member of the vulcanizing press, the ange 21 extends into a depression provided in this mold member and during the vulcanizing operation some of the rubber flows around the edge of this ange so as to fill the depression of the mold member. The rubber which flows around the edge of this flange thus forms that portion of the covering which is vulcanized to the under side of this flange and which extends into the depression of the bead 22. This bead, as already stated, assists in the distribution of the rubber by forming an elevated barrier, which, to some extent, retards the flow of rubber during the vulanizing operation so that an excessive amount of rubber will not be squeezed out in forming the coverings for the anges.

In Figs. 6 and '7 of the drawing I have shown another form of rubber covered running board constructed according to my invention. This running board comprises a metallic base 27 which is of substantially the same form as that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, with the exception that it is not provided with the raised marginal bead 22. In this case, the rubber covering, which is vulcanized to the body portion of the metal base, lies in a substantially horizontal plane and at the ends and inner side edges of the base it extends downwardly upon the end flanges 29 and upon the side flange 30. When the running board is assembled in place, the rubber covered end flanges 29 are secured to the front fender 31 and to the rear fender (not shown) as by suitable bolts 32, and the rubber covered side flange 30 is connected to the splash pan 33 by providing the latter with a hook-shaped flange 34 at its lower edge, in which the ange 30 engages.

It will now be readily seen that I have provided an improved construction for rubber covered running boards in which the rubber covering is extended over the flange of the metal body to provide packing means which forms a watertight connection and which prevents squeaks and rattles.

Furthermore, in extend- Til ing the rubber covering over the flange portions of the metal body, the edges of the covering are clamped against other parts of the vehicle when the running board is assembled in place so that these edges cannot be torn loose from the metal base. It will also be seen that I have provided a novel method for constructing rubber covered ilanged articles which permits the use of a more simplified form of vulcanizing apparatus.

The flange 19, in extending above the body portion of the metal base, provides protection for the outer edge of the rubber covering. The exposed flange portions 19 and 20 may be suitably coated or nished to harmonize with other portions of the vehicle or may be provided with a suitable decorative metal trim strip.

While I have disclosed the method and running board of my invention in a detailed manner, it should be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact steps of procedure, and to the precise details shown and described, but regard my iinvention as including such changes and modifications as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a structure of the character described the combination of a vehicle portion having a channel-like recess therein, a running board comprising a metallic base havinga top and an angularly disposed flange extending into said recess, and a non-metallic tread intimately and uniformly attached to said top and to said flange, saidtread being extended over one surface of said flange, around its free edge, and

over the opposite surface thereof terminating substantially at the junction of said flange with said top.

2. The combination with a vehicle portion provided with a longitudinally extending substantially channel shaped flange, of a running board comprising a metallic base having a top and a flange depending along one edge thereof for cooperation with said channel shaped flange, and rubber covering vulcanized to said top and to said depending flange, said covering being extended down upon one surface of said depending ilange, around its lower edge, and upwardly upon the opposite surface thereof terminating substantially at the junction of said depending flange with said top.

3. In a structure of the character described the combination of a vehicle portion having a channel-like recess therein, a running board comprising a metallic base having a top and an angularly disposed flange extending into said recess, said metallic base also having an upstanding hollowV bead intermediate said'top .and said flange, and rubber covering vulcanized to said top and to said flange, said rubber covering being extended over one surface of said flange, around its free edge, and over the opposite surface thereof terminating in the recess of said bead. y Y

4. In a structure of the characterdescribed the combination of a splash pan having a channel-like recess extending along its lower edge, a

Y fender adjacent said splash pan, a running board comprising a metallic baseV having atop and flanges depending therefrom, one of the flanges of said base being adapted for cooperation with an end of said fender and a second flange of saidA base being disposed in the recess of said splash pan, and rubber covering vulcanized to the top and depending ilanges of said base, the

yrubber covering of said second ange being extended down upon one surface thereof, around its lower edge, and upwardly upon the opposite surface thereof terminating substantially at the junction of said second flange with said top. BUDD BRONSON. 

